Video games don’t have to have replay value to be great. Telling a phenomenal story or delivering solid gameplay throughout a single experience is more than enough for a game to become a fan favorite. However, some games can give fans a reason to jump back in and play over and over again. Sometimes that can be another side to the story via a choice-based narrative. Other times, a new gameplay wrinkle can make subsequent playthroughs even better, opening up new ways to play. Regardless of how they get there, some games just get better the more you play them.
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Below are five games that improve the more you play them.
5) Hitman: World of Assassination
Hitman has always been a series renowned for its replayability. Each level is intricately crafted to give players multiple ways to approach each situation. World of Assassination takes that to the next level, putting together all three of IOI’s modern Hitman games.
It’s not only that you earn new tools for Agent 47 to use each time you jump back into a level. You’re also learning how the level works. Where do guards move? How can you get a specific disguise? What wacky ways can you dream up to take out your target? Once you’ve learned the ins and outs of a Hitman level, you’ll feel like a real assassin.
4) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic serves as something of a stand-in for many games like the BioWare classic. Sure, there are two sides of the story to uncover, with Dark and Light Side paths, but it’s the class customization that really makes KOTOR‘s replayability shine.
You have so much control over how your character interacts with the world, making it easy to make each playthrough feel unique, even if you know the basic story. On top of that, things change in the story based on which NPC characters you bring with you on the journey. The end result is roughly the same, but the journey getting there can change dramatically from one playthrough to the next.
3) RimWorld
RimWorld is a weird fit for this list because it’s not so much about finishing a story as it is creating your own. Each playthrough will always be different, but you learn more about how to play RimWorld the more you play, making each playthrough slightly easier. That doesn’t mean it’ll be a cupcake, but you’ll at least know what you’re doing.
In fact, some might argue that RimWorld doesn’t really get great until you’ve died a few dozen times. You’re still getting your bearings and learning how things work. And even when you successfully end a RimWorld session, there’s still plenty to do. Since you’re better equipped to understand what’s happening around you, you’ll want to dive back in almost immediately.
2) Hades 2
This could be a list filled with roguelikes, but I’ll limit it to one. Hades 2 earns this spot by giving players plenty to do after they “beat” the game. Similar to the first game, you’ll need to dive into the depths of Hell several times to fully finish this one, but every time you do, there are new things to earn and ways to play.
Hades 2 is one of the most content-rich games we’ve seen in years. There is so much variety between each run that switching to a new weapon almost feels like playing a new game. Because Hades 2 is structured around finishing it more than once, you can rest assured that you’ll still be having a blast after your tenth clear.
1) Baldur’s Gate 3
Sure, Baldur’s Gate 3 kind of falls into the same category as KOTOR, which I said was representing the rest of the choice-based RPGs. However, Baldur’s Gate 3 takes everything to a new level, with so many different ways to play and characters to play with.
There are several different endings to earn, but that’s just the beginning. Baldur’s Gate 3 is chock-full of things to do, and your first playthrough can easily take 100 hours. That’s what makes it so incredible that players will continue to discover new wrinkles and conversations when they jump back in for their playthrough two, three, and beyond.
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